


His Little Things

by orphan_account



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, Other casts are a bunch of models lol, Photographer Harry, Single Parent Louis, Tesco meeting place hehehe, Tomlinson kids, daddy!louis
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-17
Updated: 2015-01-17
Packaged: 2018-02-09 05:07:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1970100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>That one time that Harry and Louis meet at Tesco.</p>
<p>And they meet again the second time.</p>
<p>And the third.</p>
<p>And the fourth.</p>
<p>And the fifth.</p>
<p>And until it's intentional.</p>
<p>(or the one where louis is a daddy of three bubbly girls and harry is an independent lad who has a ridiculous crush with a man who has kids of his own)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1: Meeting The Tomlinsons

**Author's Note:**

> ✿✿
> 
> _"His Little Things"_
> 
> **© 2014 by octobertwo**
> 
>   **ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.** No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.
> 
> **DISCLAIMER:** I do not own anything, not the characters, not the places, and not any sorts of things that have legitimate names.
> 
> ✿✿

 

[ ](http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/annabaylon_/media/tumblr_n6nh85HXD21t2n68do1_1280_zps533ece0a.jpg.html)

**Part 1:** **Louis, Vanilla, Ivy, and Thursday Tomlinson** **||** **For** **Errands** **, But** **Ending** **Up** **With** **None** **—Or** **Was** **It** **,** **Really** **?**

 **✿** **✿**

 **I** t's barely even ten in the morning and Harry's inside his Range Rover, stopping at Tesco's car park, instead of stretching and rolling around his massively comfy bed.

He's gone here to run some errand, knows he has some things in hand that needs fulfillment, knows that he needs his cupboards filled again after days of them being emptied out of supplies. Harry's out of stock, is the thing; of eggs, of pancakes, some boxes of milk, and of course, a couple of spices he needs when he cooks. And so here he is, standing in front of a just-about-opening-Tesco, the morning sun kissing his reddening cheeks, shoving his car keys in his pocket, and checking the pockets of his jacket for his wallet. Harry learns it's there. Well. Harry walks towards the supermarket itself.

Warmly welcomed by the guard, the automatic sliding door making way for him, Harry pulls one cart with him and starts with walking along one certain aisle. It's not that cold yet at Tesco, the ACs barely working for him, and Harry thinks that's just necessary, since he's like, probably one of the first 30 people in here. He doesn't care about that for now, though, so he carries on. At one point, Harry looks for the eggs first, seeing a couple, but not taking them as he thinks he needn't quailed ones; he's aiming for the white ones as it is. Harry looks further, reaching the end of the aisle.

Right at the end, meanwhile, Harry sighs and scratches at his tummy, sniffing idly, before turning his cart to proceed to the next aisle and maybe look for something else first instead. He goes for where the milks are. As Harry pushes his still empty cart, he can't help but think about his shoot that's bound to happen later at 2 in the afternoon, is already thinking about what he should do with his models for today whom are Zayn and Liam, his regular models and real life mates, establishing which should they wear for the theme on this recent issue that is 4th of July.

Harry sure has a lot of ideas running in his head, about the lighting, the contrast, the exposure, and how his mates shall pose; not too fierce, like the usual, but not too cynical either. Perhaps, just their natural selves. Well, Harry decides he has to work on that one later, otherwise it'll turn out rubbish. Which, it never, but, like, Harry doesn't want that. Or really, to be fair, no photographer would want that, a professional one at that even, so yes, Harry's stressing over this.

Whatever. Harry needs to finish this errand running at hand, so he shall go home much earlier and work on putting together some of the photographing ideas he so far has gathered.

Racking through crisps and chips in an aisle he didn't realize he's suddenly in after thinking so much, Harry bites on his lip and thinks _wrong row_ , pushes his cart idly to get off of it, only to nudge something with it.

"Oops," Harry mutters, pulling his cart and away the thing he's hit, turning around. Then, "Oomph," he suppresses this time, eyes wide as someone hugs his left thigh from behind.

"Daddy," a little girl croaks out. _Daddy_?

He cranes his neck as he grips the handle of his cart, looking down from behind him to see a mop of blonde curls, two little arms clad with pink sweater wrapped around his thigh. And oh, it's a little girl, Harry sees.

"Hey," Harry says softly, his once creased in curiosity eyebrows smoothing off until he's left with a worried frown, his long curls draping down from where it's not tucked with the beanie he wears while he looks down. "Little girl, I'm not your..." He trails off as he holds the little girl's tiny arms and pries it off of his thigh, so he can crouch down to her level on the ground, looking at her face. She has a pair of bright blue eyes, pair of cherry red lips that are wobbling as she tries so hard not to cry, her little cute as a button nose flushed red. And, "Hey there, sweetie. Are you lost?" Harry finally asks after moments, his voice very gentle and somewhat soothing, searching the girl's eyes of something.

Staring at him as though he's some kind of endangered specie, the little girl nods and lifts an arm, shoves her thumb in her mouth and starts to suck on it. Harry finds her adorable almost right away. "Daddy," she repeats a beat later, her thumb-sucking mildly muffling her word.

"You lost your daddy?" Harry asks again, like it isn't obvious yet, and all get he gets is another nod from the girl. Sighing, Harry nods his head and flashes her with what he hopes isn't a worried smile. "Well, this must be your lucky day, little lady, because I'm gonna bring you back to your daddy. So don't fret no more, okay?"

"You will?" The girl asks innocently, pulling out her thumb from her mouth with a pop, her blue eyes shining as she begins on beaming at Harry. "What is f'et, though? And—and 'eally? You'll find daddy with Nilla? Because Nilla 'lost?"

"Nilla?" Harry quips, reaching out to wipe the tear that's escaped the little girl's eye, and then holding her hand after. Harry ignores the 'f'et' quiz. "Is that the name of this beautiful little girl then?"

Nodding her head, the girl says as a matter-of-factly and rather enthusiastically, "Mm! Yeah, but—but it's Vanilla. My daddy calls me Nilla, though, because he thinks Vanilla is long. Which, Nilla don't think so." She pouts, gripping Harry's hand that's holding hers.

Smiling, Harry returns her grip but just lightly. "Hmm. Is that so, sweetie?" Vanilla nods, eyes twinkling. She really is adorable. Harry wonders where her parents are—or daddy is, rather, since she's mentioned him thrice in a row now. "Well, Vanilla—that's a very beautiful name you got there—and yes, I don't agree with your daddy either. I think I'll call you Vanilla, instead of just Nilla. That great?"

"Yes!" She chirps, innocence shining through her tiny grin, her little teeth flashing before Harry; they're like corns, only that they're color white and not yellow, and that's another thing that Harry finds cute in her. "That great, _yes_! And anyway, what's you' name?

"Harry," Harry tells her, "my name is Harry."

"'Arry," she says in her own juvenile pronunciation, her projection of the letter R sounding ever so poorly, giving away just how young and innocent and fragile she is. "I like your name, 'Arry. Just like 'Arry Potte'."

Chuckling lowly, Harry nods his head in agreement. "You got that right," he says. Standing, Harry doesn't let go of Vanilla and holds the handle of his cart again. "Well, Vanilla, my favorite ice cream flavor," he starts to say, making Vanilla giggle naturally, "let's go find your daddy then, shall we?"

Looking down on the cute little girl in a pink sweater, yellow skirt, white knee socks, and pink doll shoes that's standing way too close to him like she's afraid she might get lost again, Harry sees her nod her head rather willingly and yet again suck on her thumb. That makes Harry grin proudly, proud with himself for putting a lost cause at ease, pushing the cart forwards, as they both walk down the aisle to search for her missing father.

And it takes a while for Harry to look for Vanilla's father as it's turned out moments later, his cart still empty of purchases he needs despite he's been here for almost an hour now, but Harry supposes it's alright, especially when finally, after a few more minutes of searching, Vanilla out of nowhere shrieks out, "Daddy!" and lets go of Harry's hand to run towards her father, lunge on him.

And—okay, maybe Harry's being selfish here, really, because the truth is, it actually isn't just 'alright'. It's _more_ than alright.

Right on the frozen meats and peas section stands a man in some woolly gray jumper, some black skinnies that hugs his thighs and legs perfectly like he isn't just some average looking dad like other dads, carrying a pretty much behave baby with a pacifier in her mouth, dealing with another little girl seated at the front seat of his cart, and then lastly, a relieved Vanilla, who's seeming like a koala that's plastered on one of his thighs. Harry pulls himself together and just settles to bite his lip at the awfully wonderful sight.

"Nilla!" Vanilla's father says in shock, eyes wide as he looks down on her. And instead of focusing on the fact that he's finally returned Vanilla to his dad, Harry's processing the sound of her father's voice; how it's high-pitched and husky yet soft, how it's a music to his ears. "Oh, darling, where have you gone? I've been looking! What did I tell you about staying close, hmm, Nilla?"

"'M sorry, daddy, won't happen again," Vanilla mumbles with a pout, and God does Harry want to pinch her pink cheeks.

"Better not, missy," her daddy scolds, "What could've happened if you didn't find me this time, Nilla?"

"But 'Arry helped me, though, daddy," Vanilla mumbles again, her gaze flicking up to look for Harry's figure nearby them, which is just steps away from them by the frozen meats and peas section, gripping on the handles of his still empty cart and just watching the scene before him quietly, not wanting to intrude to their little daddy-daughter moment.

"'Arry?" Her daddy quizzes, looking up as well to follow her gaze. "Oh," he says after he meets Harry's eyes, his lips parting slowly. Sighing and adjusting his baby in his arms, Vanilla's father pushes their cart forward and stops in front of Harry. "Uh, hi. Thank you for returning my daughter—," he begins to tell Harry, but Harry cuts him off.

"Vanilla. Her name, yeah? I know your daughter's name," Harry says hastily, straightening up and clearing his throat, "I mean, yeah, I—uhm, it's okay. I'm glad I've helped, really. It's no biggie. And besides, Vanilla here is really wonderful to just leave and let cry, so."

Vanilla beams up at Harry, pulling off her thumb from her mouth. "Thank you, 'Arry," she chirps, "you' wonde'ful too!"

Harry nods at her with a grin. "Thank you, sweetie."

At this point, Vanilla's father's eyebrows are already at the verge of reaching his hairline. "Okay," he says slowly, averting his gaze from his daughter and to Harry. Harry's heartbeats are frantic he dreads his heart might burst. "Well, thank you..." He trails off, indicating for an identification.

So, "Harry Styles," Harry is quick to feed him with it.

"Right, Harry Styles," Vanilla's father says. "Thank you, again. I wouldn't have known what to do if it wasn't for your help."

Harry shrugs, like _nah, it's nothing_ , and before he can even lose the fit dad in front of him, Harry blurts without having stopped himself. "Your name then?" Vanilla's father's mouth twitches at one corner. Bad sign? Is he not a single father? Uh-oh. What is Harry even thinking? He's got three kids!

And so Harry bites the inside of his cheek as he continuously chants _stupid, stupid, stupid_ in his head. But then, "Louis."

Louis.

"Louis?"

Louis nods. "Louis Tomlinson, Vanilla's daddy."

Harry's left speechless as he nods, his gaze locked on Louis' face; his cerulean eyes that almost matches Vanilla's but are same with the baby he's carrying, his nose that is an exact carbon copy with Vanilla, his lips that are preciously thin and pink, and his gorgeous stubble, as well as his prominent cheekbones that might just cut if that's even possible. And Harry thinks to himself _hope he's a single father_. As rudely as that has sounded in his head, but. Well, it's not that he's dreaming of Louis to be having such a broken family... Harry's only human, and it's not every day in his solitary life that he's meeting fit people like Louis.

Or perhaps that's a lie, since he's best mates with models like Zayn, Liam, Niall, Barbara, Eleanor, Perrie, Jade, Jesy, and Leigh-Anne, but still.

Louis is different. He's a father of three little girls— _three_ —and yet he's fit. Like, what more if he wasn't? He would've became Harry's ultimate, mega, ultra, super duper crush. Like in teenage high school dramas. Harry hopes that today is his lucky day.

"I figured," Harry says after a while. "Um. It's nice to meet you, Mr. Tomlin—"

" _Don't_ ," Louis stops him, teeth gritted, though there's no fire in it, "you dare say it. Just Louis is fine, yeah? Calling me that is just an absurd move." He shakes his head, a faint smile across his lips, and Jesus Christ, Harry needs to drag this conversation otherwise Louis will leave with his own cart together with his daughters.

Suppressing laughter, Harry twists his grips on the handles of his cart and says rather impishly, "Got it. I'm sorry, Louis."

Pursing his lips, Louis nods like it's his last gesture before turning away and leave with his daughters, in which Harry dreads to just watch and let happen before him by the way, but since Vanilla seems like returning him the favor indirectly, she tugs on Louis' jumper before Louis can say something. "What is it, babe?" Louis asks her, the word babe lingering in Harry's hearing senses, wishing the pet name was aimed to him instead of Vanilla. Harry's being desperately selfish today it seems.

"Can 'Arry come shopping with us, daddy?"

And whoops. Harry's mouth quirks up at hearing that, his heartbeat quickening as he looks at Louis' own facial expression that screams _fat chance, young lady_ , Harry's mind reeling with the exact opposite which is _oh please yes please_.

"Nilla," Louis says admonishingly.

"Please, daddy, please," Vanilla pleas, tugging on her dad's jumper some more. Harry hopes she's a spoiled kid.

"No, Nilla," Louis says, more firmly now, but Vanilla doesn't seem to budge. After a few more tugs, though, Louis' aura changes; he's turning soft. Harry thinks it's brilliant.

"Daddy," Vanilla whines, "please? I want 'Arry to come! He _saved_ Nilla, 'emember?" At hearing this, Harry watches Louis bite on his lip. And if Harry thinks about biting that himself, he certainly doesn't say.

They all wait for Louis to respond. He's looking down on his daughter's puppy face with a grimace, then to his cart with just a few items yet selected, and then up to Harry.

And Harry wonders what must he looks like right now as Louis stares back at him, because just like that—just when Louis' looked at him—Louis nods stiffly like he hasn't a choice, and although it's unwilling and hesitant, Harry still takes it happily.

"Fine," Louis says with a sigh, "fine, Harry can come. But young lady, that is, _only_ if he wanted—"

"I want to," Harry rushes out. He can feel his cheeks burn at that, but he doesn't care.

Or no, really, he does—he cares. Whatever.

Cocking a brow, Louis only nods at him and starts pushing their cart with barely in it, his other daughter locking gazes with Harry, aquamarine eyes innocently twinkling, and then his baby, crystal blue eyes oblivious to the world, and then lastly, Louis, cerulean eyes mischievous, as Louis passes him by. Harry can only shrug mentally as he's left with Vanilla to hold and to walk with.

"So, 'Arry, do you want to know my other sisters names?"

"Yes, please, little Vanilla."

Swaying their hands together as she skips and hops like a ball of giddiness, Vanilla starts telling him about her four-year old sister, Ivy—the little one who's seated at the front seat of Louis' cart—says she likes chocolates and dolls, while, Thursday, her 1 year-old baby sister, likes nothing but to drink milk, to laugh and to cry, and to 'not talk at all'. Harry laughs at Vanilla's jokes, even when some of them he doesn't get because she's struggling with pronunciations, and he gets amused whenever she says something about Louis. About how Louis would read to them before bed, about how Louis would buy her toys that she likes sometimes when she aces a subject in class, and about how Louis cooks 'black-butted eggs' instead of them being just yellow or white with yellow in the middle.

"Do you want me to cook you eggs without the black parts then, see if you'd like it better that way?" Harry asks Vanilla, looking at Louis from time to time to see if he somehow needs his help, what with Louis' carrying a wriggling baby in his arms while picking out stuffs to buy around Tesco.

Meanwhile, next to him, Vanilla hums like she's considering his offer, and that makes Harry grin dopily, waiting in anticipation for her answer too. The dork. "Okay!" She chirps then after a minute of thought.

"Alrighty," Harry says with a wide grin, "I'll cook you scrambled eggs and omelets the next time then."

Blue eyes wide and lips formed into a small _o_ , Vanilla asks it so impossibly innocently that Harry's heart almost aches. "You p'omise, 'Arry?"

And who does Harry think he is for turning this precious little girl down, right? So Harry nods, his own green eyes wide themselves, and he thinks _damn_ , because what if he and Vanilla don't meet again after this little shopping? What if this is just a one time big time bonding experience? Harry shakes away the horrible thinking, looking back ahead and moving along with Louis leading the way.

As Louis picks out some more stuffs and puts them on the cart, he turns around only to frown when he sees Vanilla grinning from ear to ear, because she's holding a couple of gummy bears packets and bars of Kitkats. "Nilla?" Louis questions, and Vanilla automatically frowns, lowering down her arms full of treats.

"But daddy..."

"No buts, young lady," Louis says, tilting his head sideways, a thing that Harry finds he bites his lip at. He hopes Louis doesn't see. "What did I tell you? You can't just ask for things all the time."

"I didn't ask, though, daddy, I _swear_." Vanilla bites at the last word, hitting the letter R perfectly, surprising both Harry and Louis the last minute.

Looking up finally to meet his gaze, Harry smiles shyly at Louis, scratching at the back of his neck. "Uh, Louis, it's alright. I kind of... wanted to buy her all those. She and Ivy, I mean. They're for them."

"Oh, Jesus, Harry, that's... You don't have to, mate," Louis says, facing them while adjusting Thursday in his arms, the baby staring at Harry with wonderment in her big round crystal blue eyes.

Shaking his head, Harry walks with Vanilla next to him. "It's okay, Louis. I got this," he says firmly, and then he's passing Louis by. "Let's just get to the cashier so you can pay, yeah? You're done with that, aren't you?"

Louis nods. "Yeah, but—"

"Oh come on, _Mr_. _Tomlinson_ —," Louis rolls his eyes at this, but Harry ignores it, "—loosen up. This is for your daughters anyway, let them be." He grins, wiggling his eyebrows at Louis. Harry thinks he must look ridiculous right now, with his beanie clad head, curls slipping from each his ears, black tight skinny jeans, thinly fabricated white shirt, and brown hooded jacket.

Shaking his head like Harry's being a complete daft right now, Louis just leads them all to the 32nd cashier and starts unloading his cart. Harry offers to carry Thursday while he profusely tells Louis that he knows how to carry a baby. Louis in the end believes him, so he lets him. After a while, Louis' done with paying and now they're all headed for the exit of Tesco.

And Ivy talks to Harry for the first time since Harry's met them all, "'ank you, 'rry," she says, barely completing her words, as she accepts the gummy bears Harry is offering to her.

And seriously, why are they all so cute and cuddly and adorable? Ivy has straight blonde hair with aquamarine-colored eyes, is wearing a yellow dress with purple ruffles on them, and her eyelashes are long and delicate just like Louis'. On the other hand, Thursday is wearing a sky blue onesie, her head clad with matching beanie, and she has pretty crystal blue eyes. And then there's Vanilla with her blonde curls and mischievous blue eyes, her set of pearls like corns, her cheeks red and just—entire face like Louis'. They're all beautiful all in all, and Harry wants to see them again.

He hopes this isn't the last time.

As they get out of Tesco, Louis stops pushing the cart with the bags of his items in them, and faces Harry with a kind of nervous smile. "Well, thank you for coming with us, Harry. I really appreciate all the help. For looking out on Vanilla and returning her to me. And um, for the treats too, I guess. Thanks a lot for spoiling them." Louis chuckles as does Harry, the sided of their eyes crinkled as they do so. Huffing a heavy breath, Louis regains his composure and side-eyes Harry. "Well, this is it, then. The end of the line. Our car is just over there, so I'll take it from here."

Not having owed by Louis with absolutely anything, even if granted he's returned his daughter to him, since people should be obligated to do that as a person with an actual heart anyway, still, Harry can't help but frown. And perhaps Louis sees that, he just never say. Harry couldn't care less. "Yeah. I guess," he says regardless, looking down at Vanilla to catch her yawning idly. But it's only 12 in the afternoon, she can't be feeling tired now, can she?

Looking back up at Louis, Harry watches as he smiles slowly and reaches out to take Vanilla from Harry, a gesture that tells he's hesitant about it, a gesture that at least Harry appreciates by heart. Sure, Harry doesn't want for this journey to end yet, but that doesn't mean he wants for Louis to feel any bad for taking his own child from him. So Harry lets go himself as he crouches down to Vanilla's level, murmuring, "Go to your daddy now, little one. Harry needs to let you go now."

Blinking, Vanilla pouts at Harry after processing his words. "You leaving? Al'eady?"

Harry nods sadly, before breaking into a forced grin. "But hey, maybe we can meet again some time, yeah? So cheer up, little buddy."

Actually believing Harry's words, Vanilla nods and is back on beaming again. Harry stands up and dusts his jeans. "Well," he says, looking at Louis.

Louis smiles a small smile at him, as though he's hoping he'd see Harry again. Wishful Thinking, Harry thinks to himself. "Well," Louis echoes.

"Take care, then?" Harry offers shyly, offering a hand awkwardly.

Vanilla watches them in curiosity as Louis cautiously takes Harry's hand to shake it. And Harry only shivers a bit when their hands clasp around each other's, the warmth of Louis' small and soft hands surrounded by his massive one, their skins touching ever so gently yet firmly. They let go after a beat.

Louis proceeds walking with Thursday in his arms, pushing the cart where Ivy is still seated and is staring at Harry as they go, with Vanilla walking next to Louis and is glancing back on Harry every so often while they stroll towards their car, smiling at him longingly. Harry to himself watches as they walk away from him, until they're in the car and so as their Tesco paper bags, with Louis starting the engine and glancing out on the window again to wave at Harry goodbye, mouthing thank-you. Vanilla and Ivy do the same, and Harry's sure if Thursday can understand things already, she'd wave at him too—but then again, she's only seated at her customized seat in the backseat of Louis' car and is strapped to keep her from slipping off. They really look like a proper family Harry could weep.

Anyway, Harry waves goodbye all the same, his head twisting in its own accord as his gaze follows Louis' car drive away, his hands shoved in his pockets.

And until—

Harry groans. "Ah, shit," he curses, shutting his eyes. "I didn't even get his number," he whines.

How Stupid.

And then minutely so, he groans again, much louder this time, realizing he hasn't done a thing for himself too—a thing that's called _running his own fucking errand._

He smacks himself across the head for it, thinks he deserves it for fucking up twice in just an approximate time of 3 damn hours. Harry stomps his way to his Range Rover and drives away; he has a photo shoot session with Zayn and Liam.

Meanwhile, though, inside Tesco, there stands Harry's abandoned cart, still cold and empty, still alone and left unnoticed.

 **✿** **✿**


	2. Part 2: Louis Has No Facebook, Sadly

[ ](http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/annabaylon_/media/tumblr_n6w4gtFWo51t2n68do1_1280_zps2672fbb0.jpg.html)

**Part 2: Louis, Louis, Louis** **and** **Louis** **only || Second Meeting Means Getting His Number Or?**

**✿** **✿**

**I** f Niall would ask him for it, Harry wouldn't in the world say it nor even dare it, but he'd actually tried searching Louis Tomlinson on Facebook and he'd got nothing but other people named almost the exact same as Louis, only that some of them are Louis Peter Tomlinson, Louis Kyle Tomlinson, and Louis Henry Tomlinson, in which had caused him to frown for at least a good twenty minutes before he decided to get a move on.

Well.

Harry had heaved sigh as such, tapping the back button repeatedly, not really interested on all those other Tomlinsons other than the Louis the fit dad himself, and just, really, Facebook in general.

Anyway, since Harry wasn't able to run his own errand last two days ago, because the Tomlinsons had been such a massive distraction, he's once again at Tesco—at 6 in the evening, this time.

He's got himself a grocery cart again just like the last time, though now he's actually finally taken a dozen white eggs in it, as well as a couple of bottles of spices, while he walks along one aisle. And as he sees his surroundings, Harry can't help but to reminisce and travel back to two days ago where he'd been shopping by a certain family of awfully beautiful people. Louis, Vanilla, Thursday, and Ivy Tomlinson—the shades of blue-eyed people.

He can still hear it, the sounds of Vanilla's laughter and juvenile jokes, can still see in his mind, the faint smile Louis' worn each time he made a witty comment, can still feel the gazes Thursday and Ivy shot him, as though they knew what Harry's motives were—which was to pull their dad and make him swoon. Harry walks along the snacks aisle with his cart and he waits for a certain little girl to hug him from behind, and although none comes, Harry still can't help but to crane his neck just to check if there would be a very adorable Vanilla, smiling down on him, saying _can you go find my daddy with me_ , it's alright. Because every moment back from two days ago was all worth it.

Harry smiles, seeing some packs of gummy bears at one point, and if he contemplates on getting one for himself, no one has to know. As it is, though, Harry does get one for himself, and then he proceeds to go to the next aisle, and the next, and the next, until he spots some fridges where the boxes of milks are supposedly at. He goes towards one then, and as though he's in some kind of a fairy-tale, Harry sees a sliver of golden tan skin and soft feathery brown hair that belongs to a very familiar beautiful man, standing in front of one of the fridges and is taking some boxes of beverages. Louis, Harry thinks— _knows_.

But that can't be, though, Harry deems, he's not inside a fairy-tale or some cheesy stuff like that, and things like this don't happen in real life. Like, seeing the one person (or, well, at least one of fourth of them) he's been hoping to see. Just like this. Harry feels something hot twisting in his stomach all the sudden, the reality sinking in—the fact that this really is happening and he's not dreaming, and he's not just in a fairy-tale, and Louis is here. The Louis Tomlinson that he's tried to hunt down on Facebook a day ago.

Coming forwards, Harry reluctantly clears his throat and waits for Louis to glance his way. And when Louis does, even double takes as though Harry is _that_ shocking to see (wishful thinking, Harry scolds himself in his mind), Harry can't be damned but to feel his cheeks get set on full on fire. "Hi," Harry says, opting for casual but failing miserably. His voice came out kinda breathless, he knows, and perhaps that's why he's earned himself a little giggle from Louis in return. A fucking _giggle_. Fuck.

"Harry, hey," Louis says with a smile, putting down a box of juice in his basket, closing the fridge and facing Harry. And Harry tries not to notice his look for tonight, but he just can't help it. Maybe he has to work on that one somehow too, if he and Louis would stumble upon each other like this each time. Back to the point, though; Harry notes that Louis is wearing some black shirt that clings to his torso, all broad shoulders with sleeves that also cling to each his fine biceps, tattoos revealing along his arms and all the way down to his wrists. Which, fucking hot. Tattoos. Harry may or may not want to lick them. Ugh. As for Louis' bottom (no sexual innuendo intended), he's wearing some tight black jeans that's folded at the hems, revealing his ankles that, for some reason, Harry finds quite endearing, like, who even thinks that? _Ankles_? Endearing? Harry is fucked. Also, Louis has nice arse and those jeans are no help at all, but then again, that may just make up for the part where Harry's not going insane. Yet. Because the likes of Louis is just necessary to go endeared for. So there's that—Harry isn't exactly crazy then.

"Where are the girls?" Harry asks conversationally, like it's his duty to ask that kind of question since the last time he'd been with them, in which Harry hopes is just a necessary move.

And maybe it is, if seeing that smile go brighter across Louis' lips is any indication. "They're at home; asked my neighbor to look after them while I run here to get what Vanilla's been whining for." Harry's heart melts at mention of Vanilla.

Harry looks at the basket and the items that Louis' selected so far. He sees the box of juice, some packets of marshmallows and gummy worms, some strawberry flavored Yam-Yam cups, and a package of powdered milk—probably for Thursday. "Ah, I see," Harry says with a nod, "they good, though? I kinda miss them." Now, that last one isn't intentional, but Harry is no liar and is a terrible at resistance, so it's slipped. Harry's not sorry.

Laughing slyly, Louis shifts at one foot and shrugs. "They're good," he informs Harry. A beat, then, "They miss you too—they won't shut up about me not having asked for your number so maybe we can keep in touch." Chuckling, Louis adds, "Sorry for that one, by the way, I should've asked—your number, I mean. Because like, you helped me out, and that should at least earn—"

"Oh, no, Lou, it's—," Harry cuts himself off under the realization of calling Louis _Lou_ , blushing himself, but then he proceeds, "Louis, I mean. Um, it's cool. You needn't to pay me for helping. That'd only be ridiculous, really. About the number part, though, the keeping in touch... I'm fine with that." Harry knows he's pushing it a little, but whatever, he'll live.

"Well in that case," Louis says, stuffing a hand behind his back as if to fish out something from a pocket, in which, yeah, technically so, revealing a phone later and handing it over to Harry. "There. Save your number there."

Harry bites on the inside of his cheek to keep himself from grinning like a dork. This is fucking happening. "Okay," he says calmly, his fingers clammy and shaky but won't let Louis notice them, taking the phone and punching in his number. And if Harry smiles a little at the sight of Louis making a goofy face with the three little angels of his as the wallpaper of his mobile, Harry doesn't care at all. Louis sees it openly, but doesn't comment one bit, and that's already enough for Harry. "Here." Harry hands back his phone.

Louis puts it back in his pocket. "Great. I'll call you later then, or maybe tomorrow... or..." He trails off, like he may be crossing a line here, which, not. Not really. If any, Harry would love for him to.

"Later is fine," Harry says anyway, not having stopped himself. Louis only smiles with a nod. And then no one talks after that last exchange, Louis fiddling with his basket and his items, Harry gripping the handles of his cart. While that makes Harry uncomfortable, he doesn't risk doing what his heart desires; ask Louis to shop with him. He's a pussy, he knows. A coward.

So maybe that's the reason why Louis says it first instead of him, bringing a shockwave all over his body and making him feel weak at the knees, "Shopping alone? Wanna shop with me?"

Harry sucks.

But Harry is one lucky bastard.

Louis and Harry start to shop then, Harry taking what he needs now this time while they do so, Louis doing the same just like the last time. They bump against each other every so often, their elbows knocking unintentionally and making Harry blush, Louis apologizing 'for being clumsy', as well as talk about nothing and everything. Getting to know each other, perhaps? Harry decides that, yeah, _yeah, they are._ So Harry shares to Louis his passion for photography, how it's his job and it's what he does for a living, sharing how he's loved capturing moments even as a kid. Louis tells him that's wickedly awesome. Harry may or may not have felt a hundred and one percent proud of himself for it.

In the midst of their shopping, Harry notices that Louis' finally had his basket full, so he offers to take some and put them in his cart. Louis protests at first, but soon caves in. It's just a small victory, but Harry feels triumphant anyway.

At some point, Harry's able to know that Louis is in fact a single father, that his wife has died a year ago, and that now Louis is getting used to raising three kids all by himself. Harry does say sorry about Louis' wife, in which Louis stays quiet about, and Harry feels sympathetic, only a little bit too much, about the raising his kids all by himself part. But anyway, Louis says it's a bit fun, so Harry supposes that's a good thing. Besides, Harry himself would definitely love to take care of such beautiful girls like Vanilla, Ivy and Thursday anyway, so there's that.

On a different matter, Harry learns that Louis' older than him despite their height differences, despite Louis still wears Vans while Harry opts for boots, which, he's got to admit is more mature-looking than a pair of branded shoes. So Louis is 25 then, two years older than Harry, has no job for now but has enough money since he's pretty much a pensioner himself, loves football, has moved in London since Ivy has been born, but moved from a new flat ever since Hannah, his deceased wife, has died. Louis is moving on. Harry kind of hopes he's looking for a new love and relationship. Then again, Louis obviously goes for women, so... there goes Harry's dream.

"So, this is all of it," Louis says moments later, stopping on his tracks. "How about you?"

Truth be told, Harry's been done shopping ages ago, is just happily accompanying Louis with his own, because he's that desperate to be with the older man. "I'm good too. Let's pay?"

"Let's."

Harry lets Louis get his items slid and punched first, letting him pay first and have his purchases bagged, before he takes his turn. The girl behind the cashier looks up at him and smiles, more like a flirty one at that, but Harry doesn't acknowledge it even if she's one fine girl. His eyes are for Louis now, it seems. He's a hopeless romantic, sue him. Besides, Harry's wishing that Louis' a sure thing if ever. Harry'd do absolutely anything just to get him.

When Harry's done with paying for his stuffs and has carried his Tesco bags, he looks up to meet gazes with Louis, who has his own cerulean eyes eying the girl behind the cashier, before flicking them to lock with Harry's owns. Louis pulls off a lopsided smile. "Ready to go, love?"

_Love_. Fuck. Did Harry hear him right? Louis called him love. Harry can't breathe.

"Yeah," Harry says, sounding a bit breathless, earning a smirk from Louis. Louis turns around and starts towards the exit of the supermarket.

"Let's go then," he says softly. Harry follows him, stumbling with his feet and too-long legs.

Outside Tesco, London is covered with darkness, the time in Harry's wrist watch saying it's almost 9 in the evening, the lighting of the supermarket being the only source of brightness together with the post Tesco owns, making everything seem late and intimate and dramatic. Harry frowns, doesn't feel like letting Louis go just yet.

"So, Harold," Louis begins, making Harry feel fond by hearing Louis giving him a nickname already, silently beaming to himself, "My car's over there. What about you?"

Harry fiddles with his bracelets as he hugs his Tesco bags, nodding over to the other side of the car park. "That's, um, mine."

Louis wolf-whistles, scratching at his—sexy—stubble. "Sweet ride."

Harry feels his face heat up. "Thanks."

Turning around, Louis flashes him a wolfish grin. "See you soon, then?" he asks, sounding hopeful yet playful. Harry hopes it's the first one.

"See you soon, then," Harry replies, grinning right back.

In a minute, Louis' finally retreating back to his car, turning around just to wave at Harry goodbye with the faintest smile, and then he's driving away and leaving Harry the next thing just like the last time.

Harry walks grumpily back to his Range Rover a while later and drives away himself, the only things accompanying him being the Tesco bags and one of Coldplay's masterpieces, _Gravity_ , eating at his heart that's crushing on Louis Tomlinson aka a daddy of three little angels.

A _single_ daddy, Harry reminds himself.

_Can you hear my heart beating? Can you hear that sound? 'Cause I can't help thinking. And I won't stop now._

By the time Harry reaches his flat, he fishes out his keys and unlocks his door, pushing himself in and closing the door behind him, making his way towards the kitchen. Harry slumps his purchases on the kitchen counter, pulling some of them out so he can arrange them in their rightful places, only to stop midway because his phone is buzzing, indicating a text.

Harry checks it, his heart beating madly, hoping it's—

_good lad, harold. it's me, lou. thank you for shopping again with the boring ole me, i guess. appreciate it._

_ps. vanilla and ivy ask me to say hello to u. so hello!!!!!!! - from them._ _haha_ _. good night! x_

Not having handled things this much, because it just is _too_ _much,_ Harry heavily slumps back against the counter, holding himself together, keeping his breathing cool and calm and relax. He's doing a pretty shite job at it, though. Because fuck it, Louis' left an 'x' at the end of his first _ever_ text to Harry.

Harry wants to squeal like a teenaged girl now more than anything.

**✿** **✿**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> part two really is this short, so I'm sorry if I disappointed :( i saw my plot for this and saw that i only have three lines, so :/ hoping for comments, guys! thank u for reading! xx


	3. Part 3: Jade And Perrie Do Have A Point, But

 

 

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**Part 3:** **Vi** **, Ivy** **,** **Baby** **T** **,** **and** **Lou** **||** **Louis** **,** **A** **Father** **Figure** **,** **Also** **,** **Harry's** **Crush** **,** **No?**

 ****✿** ** ****✿** **

**A** t the age of 23, Harry now, is a rich young man that photographs models for a living. Well, not rich _rich_ , but you probably get the picture, what with he's all by himself, has no children of his own, pays his bills that only he consumes, and feeds no one but him and only him. So he saves a lot, and perhaps that makes him a rich young man. He's almost there, Harry thinks, but not really, since he's single now and is independent. At 20, he's finished college, at 21 he's applied one too many agencies that have offered fortunes, at 22 he's traveled the world because of his job, and now this - he's finally stabled and contented and has a bank account, all cooped up for all his tomorrows.

Harry supposes he's good for a boyfriend now. Like, now that he _can_. It's been 8 months that he's been vacant, his most recent relationship having gone downhill, because apparently, the guy was a douche as he'd turned out in the end, just trying things out with Harry, and then later on figuring out he really couldn't settle down with his same sex. Lame excuse, sure, but Harry'll take it. It's not like he's loved him in any way to get quite attached anyway.

It's the middle of July and Harry's working his arse off all month, giving his best, giving everything a shot, making his manager and team proud at every shoot and session they put up with him. You can say Harry's a perfectionist, though he still has flaws when it came to this job he truly loves, but that's just necessary, since he's only human. Right about now he's having a girls session with Little Mix; they're a group of lady models, are always game at anything, four of Harry's close models in the industry.

Leigh-Anne is wearing something spicy, all reds and scarlets and golds ripped at the hems gown, looking her evil, sexy self as Little Mermaid's daughter on its sequel, while Jade is wearing something angsty blue-green, her ferocious look all dazzling as she portrays Princess Jasmine of Aladdin. Perrie on the other hand, is also wearing something blueish, only that it's a light one but darker at the terms and sleeves, her glass slippers pointy at the edges and its hearts at the centres, broken; she's basically Cinderella, but the mad one. Lastly, Jesy is wearing this bright yellow gown that doesn't reach her knees, because it's ripped and ruined, showing that she's just gone to some war or something, or better yet had had a wild sex with the 'beast', as she shows up as Belle from Beauty and the Beast. They're in for a _Disney Princesses Gone Bad_ photo shoot as it is.

And it's great so far, see, if the lethal amount of HD pictures of Little Mix is anything to go that by, as well as the grand smile across Simon's face almost splitting his face in half now as he watches this session with his girls. He's founded them last year ago when Simon spotted them to some bar where they sing as a girl band, signed them up for modelling when they'd say yes, and then ever since then, they've been referred to as _his girls._

Well, Harry can't say that it's Little Mix that Simon is mostly in favor of, what with he swoons when Zayn and Liam always get crowded with female models in one landscaped picture, accompanied by glistening bodies by oil, Zayn's ink-littered skin looking so hot as always, Liam's biceps and abs mouthwatering, things that mostly do it for them, but there's that. And also, his love for Eleanor's unique ways of pouting that luscious lips of her when it comes to doll-like photo shoots, those innocent eyes that she has even when they aren't so innocent at all; Harry knows Simon loves Eleanor, too, just as much as he loves Cara and Barbara, so it isn't really just Little Mix. And of course, there's Niall; his one and only Irish model, fresh from Mullingar itself, a reigning male model mostly for Irish catalogs and brands, his rosy cheeks all working for him each time. So there; it's a whatever, Harry supposes. All of his model friends are loved and cherished by their boss, and he's more than happy for them if he's honest. They're all brilliant - Harry is, too, Simon says, so it's all good. All good for the rest of their careers.

But then again, despite of all the goods in Harry's life so far, he still can't just neglect the fact that something's missing. Still. Harry is happy, he sure is, but not by heart. And if he could only just grade the stages in his life some stars, he'd give his love life none, while his career and fitness have perfect fives. It's sad, he's sad, and at 23, all he wants now is something he could hold on to, a guy that he could go home to, a guy that would make everything better when everything is shite, a guy that would make him smile when he's struggling at his worst.

And Harry's not hoping that guy to be Louis Tomlinson, definitely not. Even when technically, right now, he's been sneaking glances on his phone during session... hoping the lad would pay him a bit of his time and text him, since it's been a week and a half the last they've spoken through messages.

Sighing, Harry peers over at his camera again and takes several shots of Perrie, Leigh-Anne, Jesy, and Jade in their 'fierce look' as Simon calls it. In a minute, they're done with the shoot and it's a success. Harry wraps it up.

"Okay, ladies, that's it! That's the photo shoot for today!" He announces as he claps, lowering his DSLR camera and letting it dangle by its strap around his neck. "Thank you for cooperating Little Mix, once again. Let's wrap this up quick!"

At his signal like that, everyone moves from their positions to start and gather some things up. The lighting men, the props men, the hair and makeup stylists, the gown makers, that and all. Even Simon leaves his chair to congratulate Harry and Little Mix, and then in a second he's gone. Harry also does the same, gathering his own equipments up, putting his camera back in its case and zipping it up. Sitting down on his usual chair in this studio, Harry swivels the thing around and faces his idling laptop. He types the password on the hanging typing board and fires it back up again, settling to the last he's left it; and then there goes Little Mix's photos popping up, one by one. Harry goes back to work and edits some of them to perfection.

After a while, Harry leaves the keyboard, only to stretch and to yawn. And then he checks the time on his laptop, and he almost gasped. It's already 5 in the afternoon. Harry's here at 10 this morning, Little Mix have been groomed for at least two hours, including the gowns, makeups and adjustments, and then after that the session has started. All in all, Harry's been working for 7 straight hours. That's new. He looks around him; the props men are still here, Jade and Perrie chatting on the other side of the studio, Smoothies in hands, and... that's all of it.

Harry looks back on his laptop and bites on his lip. He thinks he'll just continue this tomorrow or something. "Or something," he murmurs to himself.

Harry leans back on his chair and curls his toes as he stretches some more for good measure. And that gesture serves him right, because then he feels his phone bulging on the pocket of his jeans. Harry fishes it out and checks for messages. He has about 12 of them. From Gemma, asking how his sorry arse is now, Anne, missing him, Niall, asking if Barbara went in today, and Zayn, asking just how he is. The rest are potential models wanting to be photographed by him. Harry sighs, not feeling good with all these, and his mind immediately wonders back to Louis.

Coming to think of it, Harry hasn't heard from him for almost 10 days now. _10 days for Pete's sakes._ Harry's going crazy. Somehow, with just those two times that they've bonded inside of Tesco, Harry's probably became attached. _Probably._

But, like, why the heck Louis isn't texting him? Does he not like Harry in his life? Or, isn't it obvious that Harry wants him and his daughters in his life? And why does Harry want them, Harry isn't sure too, but it's already there and he can't erase it. Harry can't forget about them. He'd look to his right, he'd thought he'd seen Louis and his breathtaking smile. He'd look to his left, and he'd thought he'd heard Vanilla's sweet little laugh. It's everywhere. The Tomlinsons are everywhere. Harry can't get rid of them, he just can't.

Harry can't, so he picks his phone up again and taps contacts; he scrolls through it until he stops at letter _L._ Louis' name pops up to his list and he taps it, going straight into composing a new message.

Harry hovers his thumbs on the screen of his phone from then, contemplating what to tell him.

And until he settles for one: _Hi, Louis! Good day today? How are you and your kids? Xx_ Harry sends it, not even worrying his mind much about sending some X's too.

Waiting for minutes without Louis' reply coming in yet, Harry goes back to working on the pictures in his laptop firsthand. And then upon having himself noticed, Perrie and Jade come up to his desk.

"May I have a look then?" Perrie muses, leaning over to have a look on his laptop. Seeing them, she makes a noise of approval together with Jade who's standing next to her.

Harry can see their nail polishes, and he suddenly remembers his sister. Well, she's texted him, didn't she? Harry will text her back, since she's all wrapped up in her own life now, especially that she's becoming a mother. Harry grins, remembering he's becoming an uncle too.

"Oh, look who's smiling big," Jade says when she sees him, smirking at him, "Is it about that guy, then? The one you told Niall about that Niall told Zayn and B about, that Zayn told Liam about, that Liam told Eleanor about, that Eleanor told Cara about, that Cara told us -"

"Okay, okay, Jade! Jeez! Alright, I get it!" Harry exclaims, cutting in with a laugh. "Wow. It wasn't such a secret anymore, thanks a lot."

Jade only raises an eyebrow at him, looking rather unimpressed and demanding, her arms crossed against her chest. Perrie on the other hand, just snickers and is looking so entertained at this kind of setups. The Brat. "You do know the guy was married, right, Haz? You do know he's got three kids. _Three._ Again, it's three, Harry, in case you missed."

Harry sighs, looking at his phone as it lights up, indicating a text. Harry picks it up and looks at Jade and Perrie, giving them his puppy eyes. "I kind of like him, though, babes..."

Perrie gives him an awed look, nodding at him encouragingly, but Jade still seems cross about this. She's always been the caring one, so Harry can't really blame her.

Just as Harry's about to tell them-her-off, shoo them away so he can proceed with his work, or perhaps have a little _peace and quiet_ , he sees that Louis' finally texted back, the reason his phone lit up. Harry hurriedly reads it, his eyes going all soft in an instant.

_been good! good day indeed! i mean cmon, the rovers won this time's match! they've smashed it, have u seen? and my kids are great, thanks. yourself? xx_

Grinning like a madman, which, of course, has Jade and Perrie snorting, Harry replies quickly, not caring if he seems over eager. _Sadly, no. Didn't see it. Um, say hi to the girls for me, yeah? Hope they're smiling right nowwww ;) Xx_

"You know, Hazza, if you keep this thing up, you might just get what you deserve." Harry looks up sharply at that, and Perrie immediately raises both her hands up as if to say she didn't mean it _that_ way. "Look, I'm just saying, alright? I mean, you're dealing with someone whose a father of three kids - he'd been with a woman. You don't even know if he likes or liked men. I just - _we_ don't want you getting hurt."

Jade nods in agreement. "Perrie's right. That's exactly my point, too."

"We're your friends, babe, so all we want for you is happiness, and not..." Perrie trails off, gesturing wildly with her hands to make her point, and ends up exhaling loudly.

Harry sighs, looks down at his phone. His friends are... right. They are. And he knows those things they've just said as well. The part where Louis has been with a woman, and the part where he still has no clue upon Louis' real sexual orientation. But then again, Louis' been so nice to him, so good, and - and Louis is pretty and a bit _perfect_ and. And Harry is crushing on him, and this crush just won't go the fuck away.

It won't, like, hurt to try anyway, right? It's not like, Harry's in love. He's _not._ He's just growing some stupid crush that _wouldn't_ go away no matter how many times he think about Louis and the word married and the word wife and the word _children._

Harry is in way over his head for this man.

_oh they sure are smiling haha! only bcoz im bringing them 2 tesco again for some shopping. i swear to god these girls. worse than my sisters ! :D_

"Holy cow!" Harry gasps, perking up.

"What?" Jade asks, eyebrows narrowing.

Harry looks at her and grins widely. "Nothing," he squeaks out, dimples denting each his cheeks. "Nothing much."

"Harry... What's going on?" Perrie asks, too, this time, confused with Harry's actions.

Waving them off, Harry scrambles up to his feet and starts gathering his things up, this time for real. He's still grinning as he shuts his laptop and puts it in his bag, he's still grinning as he stands up and folds his tripod, carries it back to his station, and he's still grinning as he replies back to Louis with a great white lie. _Really? I'm actually going shopping at Tesco too! What a coincidence :) does this mean I'll be seeing V, T, and I again?? xxx_

"Smooth. Real smooth, Styles," Jade says behind him, all eyebrow raised and smug faced.

" _Hey_. Stop reading my messages!" Harry whines, putting his phone away from her malicious sights. "Look, I don't care if - if in the end I'll get hurt, yeah? I just wanna try this one out. If all else fails, at least I won't be regretting anything, because I did what I want. Like, what if it works, huh? _What if._ Trust me, this way I won't be regretting absolutely anything."

Jade sighs just as Perrie rolls her eyes. "Fine, H. But don't you dare say we didn't warn you, okay? We care."

"Yeah, I know, guys. Thank you, yeah?"

Jade purses her lips as she nods, still not fully convinced. Harry ignores her anyway.

_what a coincidence haha! really now. tell me, harold, are u stalking me?? xxx_

Harry blushes at Louis' reply, his cheeks visibly going red, his eyes glossy with enthusiasm, and if that has Perrie and Jade walking away on him to leave him be, Harry thanks Louis for leaving him all flustered because really, that's exactly what he's doing. Stalking Louis - or the Tomlinsons, whichever. Is Louis a wizard now? Seriously.

_Nah, fate must just be doing its wonders on us ;) xxx_

_right, captain cliche :) haha! see you then!_

"See you then," Harry mumbles to himself.

Driving all the way from work to Tesco, mostly, only takes Harry less than 20 minutes. He unbuckles his seat belt and grabs his camera, slings it around his neck. Adjusting the mirror in the front, Harry looks at himself on it and ruffles his curls, running his hands across it and pushing them aside. Then smoothing his outfit for today, which is some simply white tee with some black skinny jeans going that by, Harry's finally ready to go, shoving a blue beanie atop his head.

Getting engulfed in by Tesco and its air conditioner, almost immediately, brings butterflies to Harry's stomach altogether. He can almost sense them in his mind, Louis and his girls, can almost feel them in his bones, and with that, Harry suddenly feels nauseous. This is making him nervous. Pulling one cart is making him nervous, pushing it along on one aisle _is_ making him nervous.

And the thing is, Harry's never been so nervous when it comes to these things. Harry's always been the confident type, hell, he's even the insistent one, always eager for more, always happy to see someone he likes. But this one? Harry's shaking like a leaf, just like something some high school girl would be when she's about to meet up with her crush.

Doesn't sound like a 23 year-old, alright.

Harry pushes his cart some more anyway, taking detergents and powders, despite he's got a whole two months supply of those.

Carrying on, Harry goes for another aisle, puts some things on his cart that he already has at home, then another aisle again, doing the exact same, and until he's passed at least a total of eight aisles, that he stops at one, fishing his phone out. He guesses it's safe to ask Louis where he is now.

_Hi where are you?? :) xx_

Harry pushes his cart again as he longingly stares at the items in it, blinking at the boxes of cereals he's taken, the shampoo bottle and coconut milk bath, as well as the brand new toothpaste he's added, despite he's just bought one weeks ago and that he isn't yet out with some. He sighs, turning his cart once he's reached the end of one aisle, only to bump with something that has him stopping on his tracks, looking up with that frown on his face.

"Sorry, mate, I was just -," the person stops mid-sentence, clutching on a phone like it's about to text someone. And _oh,_ Harry thinks, is utterly dumbfounded, taken aback.

"Oh, look, Daddy! It's 'Arry! It's _'Arry_!"

"Harry, finally," Louis says, lowering his phone down and shoving it in his pocket. He's wearing some royal blue football jersey this time, Harry sees, his jeans as usual clinging to his, _oh God, beautiful_ thighs and legs and _bum_ , and his hair is in its deliciously disheveled style, his face all scruffy and his eyes bluer than the last they almost look gray. Harry's fucked.

"Lou," he breathes out, feeling like biting his lip for effect. He doesn't, though, and since he feels like such a creep because Louis' suddenly giving him a funny look, probably because of how he's delivered his name, he adds, "Vanilla!"

She skips and hops as she darts towards Harry, extending her arms up, in which Harry complies at, pushing his camera on one side, before scooping her up to her feet. "I missed you, 'Arry!" She yells in his ears.

"Aw, I missed you too, little princess," Harry coos, grinning as he hugs her tight. "How are you?" He asks, putting her down to her feet, and crouching down with her. At the corner of his eye, Harry can see Louis watching the two of them, and that does things to him.

"'M g'eat, 'Arry. I've been going to school and stuff, and daddy comes with me too," Vanilla says excitedly, cupping Harry's face, her blue eyes sparkling in innocence. "And also -," she gestures for Harry to _come closer, I have something to tell you_ , so he does, feeling secretive. Louis gives them a look, and Harry only shrugs at him. "Daddy missed you too."

"Really?" Harry muses, standing up and grinning down at Vanilla, taking her hand. She nods vigorously in response. Harry looks at Louis.

"What?" Louis asks, fixing the strap on his back where Thursday sits mindlessly, a pink polka dotted headband in her head, pacifier in her mouth. She's so behave Harry wants to keep her a little bit too much.

Harry shrugs, feigning nonchalance. "Nothing," he says around a mischievous smile. Harry's sure his dimples are failing him to appear inauspicious. "Hi, Ivy!" He beams at Ivy anyway, because she's just so cute and _so_ Louis with her curious eyes eying Harry.

Raising an eyebrow, Louis pulls at his cart and makes a motion of proceeding away. "Whatever she told you, that's not true at all," is all he says, and then he's striding away, but Harry doesn't miss the part where Louis' fighting a grin, too, as he goes.

Next to him, Harry hears Vanilla say, "It is, though," making him smile bigger. Well, because Harry's holding on to that.

Pushing his cart along, Harry keeps Vanilla on his side as he and Louis start shopping. He's not taking much in his cart anymore at this point, just a few snacks like Nips, Skittles, and M&M's that he gives each for the girls too, is just mostly accompanying Louis, happy to be here. At one point, Ivy tells Louis to put her down from the cart - Harry does it for him, since Thursday is wiggling on his back and he has to deal with that. Once Ivy's finally down to her pink flats clad feet, she and Vanilla run their way to where the toothbrushes are. Harry notices how Louis only lets them, standing close to him. Harry's suddenly holding his breath at this.

And then, "Photographer Harry today, I see," Louis says.

When Harry chances a glance at him, Louis' already looking expectantly at him. "Oh, um." Harry's cheeks are so hot he might explode.

"I mean, the, uh, camera around your neck," Louis elaborates, clearing his throat.

Dumbly, Harry looks down on his chest and there he sees his camera, neglected. He picks it up, switches it on and takes a shot of Ivy and Vanilla going mad for kiddie toothbrushes by the cashier. They look so cute and brisk and lovely - just like the man whom Harry now is directing his camera lens at. "Yeah," Harry says finally, "I just got off from work before I went here, actually." He lowers his camera down, seeing Louis' face clearer with his own eyes.

"Oh," Louis murmurs, seemingly shy, "I see. Well, I... suppose you're feeling tired now. And I can tell you're done with your shopping, so shall we?"

"What? No," Harry says in an instant, defiant, shaking his head, "no, it's okay. Lou, it's -"

Louis raises a finger, making Harry snap his mouth shut. "We're going. I'm all done now anyway, got the nappies and ice cream-the important stuffs, so."

"Is it okay for them to always eat sweets?" Harry can't help but ask.

"Of course, not," he responds around a laugh, "I take them to the dentists every time, I ask the dentist just whenever they can eat too much sweets, and persuade them into brushing their teeth three times a day."

"Sounds so... fatherly of you, Lou," Harry says, his voice having gone soft and affectionate for some reason. Despite he's fully aware just how much of a father figure Louis is, sometimes the youthfulness of him surpasses it. And that, perhaps, is the reason why it still overwhelms him, especially when Louis says things like taking his daughters to the dentist.

"Why thank you, I guess?" Louis says, smiling at him, eyes crinkling at the sides. Harry thinks he's so damn beautiful, _like, why can't Harry just have him?_

Louis, at this point, has finally called out on Vanilla and Ivy to come back to them, and is leading everyone to the rows of cashiers, looking for a certain one where the line is short. They gather and place their items quietly, the two quirky girls helping along with the snacks to put them on the moving counter, the sweets Harry's let them have being their main thing to always make grabby hands on.

"Babes, what are you- babes, we're not getting these," Louis says as he takes the Nips, Skittles and other bunch of stuffs Ivy and Vanilla put on the counter.

" _Daddy_ , no -that's -"

Harry, without thinking, steps up and puts a hand on Louis' own where he's holding on the packets. Hand stilling, Harry has the time to appreciate just how small and soft Louis' hand is, how it fits his just right, how lovely it is, and-oh.

It eventually sinks in; he retrieves his hand immediately. "Sorry, I -"

"Harry," Louis says mildly, looking up at him.

He gulps visibly it's truly embarrassing. Harry's so awful at this. "Um. I'll be paying for those. Here, let me -," he slowly takes the packets from Louis' grasp and chucks them in his own cart behind Louis'. "I'm paying them for Ivy and Vi."

"Again? Seriously? You don't have to, Harry. God." Louis sighs, covering his face with his hands.

Harry chuckles awkwardly at that. "Oops."

Peeking from his fingers, Louis pulls off a smile. "Hi," he says, is red at the cheeks. "Why do you spoil my children, you devil?"

Harry shrugs. "Because I love them and they're adorable?"

Rolling his eyes, rather fondly, Louis just carries on and proceeds, paying for his stuffs, and then moments later the rest of them are once and for all out of Tesco.

"Thank you, 'Arry! You is best!" Vanilla exclaims happily, hopping up and down as she grips Harry's hand where he isn't gripping on a couple of Tesco bags.

"You're welcome, little princess. Promise me you'll study hard?" Harry asks of her, grinning.

She nods determinedly. "Yes! _Pwomise_!"

Harry ruffles her curls. "Very good, you are," he tells her, voice slow and syrupy as ever. Next to them, Louis clears his throat. "Hey," Harry says to him, "see your car?"

"Yeah," Louis says softly, nodding to their BMW. Harry follows his gaze, then, nodding too. And the five of them goes towards it, settling the groceries at the back of the car, settling the girls in and especially Thursday in her customized seat, and lastly Louis in the driver's seat. After that, Louis winds the window down and looks up at Harry who's standing outside the car. "So, um. Thank you. Again. God, I owe you a lot." Louis chuckles softly, shutting his eyes and making a face. A cute face.

"It's nothing, Louis. Really," Harry says, assuring. And dumb, and smitten, and _in too deep._

Biting his lip, Louis nods his head. "Okay," he says slowly, and then blinking once, twice, he says softly, "I'll see you soon, then?"

Eyelids fluttering, Harry looks intently at Louis at the sound of his voice. It almost sounded hopeful. Harry hopes it's hopeful. "Yeah, I-I'll see you soon, then, Lou..." He says it like a promise. And Harry hopes it isn't a bad thing, given he sounds obviously pulled. _In awe._

But then again he guesses it isn't anyways, since that's apparently put a smile on Louis' sinfully, painfully handsome face. _He can actually model, for a dad,_ Harry thinks randomly, _it's not fair._

"Alright, that's... that's awesome. Take care, Harold, yeah?" Louis says, starting up the car. At the back, Harry can see the girls already trying to tear the packets of Skittles apart.

He smiles at that, and also to Louis. "I will. You too, Lou."

"Will do!"

 _Will do._ Harry's holding on to that.

 **✿** **✿**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a heads up; i wont be updating this any sooner, just like how i do it now.  
> bc ill be updating my hogwarts au first. so yea, just bear with me, ye? thanks :~)  
> also, kudos and comments are always appreciated!! X


	4. Part 4: How Could Harry Not See That One Coming, Really

**Part 4:**   **Nilla, Vy, Thurs, and Louis || Zayn and Liam Ruining This For Him? He Hopes Not, Because Fuck**

**✿** **✿**

**A** fter weeks of Harry being perfectly sneaky and absent at friendly lunch dates with Niall and Barbara, has always been strangely MIA whenever the lot of them - his entire model friends - were having some night outs and he wasn't present there most times, always reasoning he was 'running some errands', Zayn and Liam have once and for all had it with their best mate. Therefore here they are, accompanying Harry in Tesco just to make sure he wasn't lying about 'having errands' and was not driving someplace else that is dangerous, instead being safe (but a great flirt, yes, add that to the list). Perhaps not at some nightclub of some sort. Although Liam doesn't trust Harry to go to such, he just isn't sure no more. Best to be sure, right?

Anyhow, they're here at Tesco; it's what Jade and Perrie have supplied them after all, saying something like this, "Harry is always in Tesco, lads, shopping with some fit  _dad_." Well, surely that wasn't so bad, considering the fit dad could only be having one child, but then Perrie added, "Zayn, babe, he's a father of  _three_  little darlings, that dad. Look out for your giant friend, why won't you?" Right. She mentioned three.

Harry had suppressed an eye-roll when they said that, because  _Liam_. He gets a bit load antsy.

"You can't be missing in action again, Harry," Liam is saying with a frown, walking next to him at a certain aisle, "this time we're coming with you just to see whoever this fit person with  _three kids_  - Jesus, Harry, that's a lot - that Jade and the others have been mentioning."

Helpless, Harry grumbles a, "Liam... why would you do this to me, really?"

Ignoring him, Zayn says in addition, "Yeah, Liam's right. To be honest, I just heard it from Niall and Babs. Or were it them? I can't remember anymore. The news is just out and about that I don't even know where I've first heard it."

Harry sighs, pushing the cart alongside Liam and Zayn. "Like that's a surprise. I know how you guys are."

Licking his lips, Liam looks around Tesco as he answers Harry, "Good thing you do, H, because we want you to. Now tell me, where is he?"

"Who?" Harry asks playing dumb, feeling his heartbeats go frantic with just the mention of Louis. He's this gone for the lad despite his name itself wasn't even the one directly mentioned but only the word 'he'. Amazing.

"Your fit dad, who else," Zayn chimes in, "duh."

Gulping, Harry looks at his friends who are both looking places else, are both seemingly aiming for buying things at the aisle they're in when in reality they really are not. And really, this is ridiculous and frustrating. Harry sighs for probably the ninth time now since they've gotten here. "You're not seeing him, lads, why can't you understand that? We're not - look, there's nothing going on between the two of us, okay?"

"Oh, really?" Zayn quips teasingly, raising a perfectly looking brow at him, only looking quite perfect in all aspects; prominent jawline, stubble, long and thick eyelashes, pink lips, the like. The Fucking Irresistible Bastard. "Then why are you always with him then? I heard you two also communicates via text, like, everyday."

"They do?" Liam pipes up, eyes wide. Looking at Harry, who now has both his hands covering his red beet face, probably, Liam urges, "Hurry up then and ask him if he wants to meet up, so we can finally meet him! You know how we care about you a lot, Harry. It's only necessary that we want to know if this guy is treating you just right - just how he should be. Whether he's-"

Liam is cut off when Harry says, voice quite strangled because of exasperation, "I told you already, Li. Louis and I are not-"

"Is that right?" Someone suddenly butts in, voice raspy and soft and damn it to hell  _familiar_. Everyone looks ahead, i.e. Zayn, Liam and a poor wide-eyed Harry. And then, "Did I just hear my name?" Oh, fuck. Can Harry just please die now? In an invisible hole, much preferably.

"'Arry! Dear 'Arry!" Vanilla chirps loudly, skipping and rushing towards Harry, her curls bouncing as she goes. Zayn gives way in an instant just as Vanilla nears them, and then the little one jumps on Harry like a frog, giggling madly. Harry catches her in time. "You'  _here_! Pe'fect timing!"

Securely holding Vanilla in his arms, Harry looks shyly at Louis and mouths  _hey_. Louis smiles at him and walks forwards, cart reeling underneath. Ivy sits quietly in the cart as she looks at the scene with curiosity in her innocent eyes, and Thursday wriggles excitedly in Louis' arms. "Good to see you, Harold," Louis says eventually as they stop, eying Zayn and Liam with a smile, "I see you're with your friends this time. Your models at work, I reckon?"

Blinking back to what's now, have seemingly been out of their depths, Zayn and Liam look at each other beforehand as though they're missing something here, and until one Liam Payne speaks, "Right, hi, I'm sorry, I'm Liam. It is nice to meet you..."

"Louis," Louis supplies for him easily, only nodding his head their way since he can't opt for shaking any hand for that matter for he's carrying a baby in his arms.

"Right, hey, Louis. Uhm, this one right here is-"

"Zayn Malik, I know," Louis cuts through, chuckling lightly, making Harry's heart grow a hundred times bigger, "Erm, I know this could sound creepy and the lot, but, truth is, I'm fairly familiar with you two. I may be reading magazines myself too sometimes, so. Yeah." Looking at Harry with a sheepish smile, Louis admits, "I didn't just know it was mostly Harold's photography that were plastered there; sorry, H. Then again, your pictures were aces. You guys looked brill."

Locking gazes, again, Liam and Zayn share this sort of  _look_  - that Harry's memorized to know just what about over the years he's been best mates with them, to which he silently grins at, hiding his face on Vanilla's curls, because  _hey, they like_ _Louis_ _already_  - before they look back at Louis and say, "Wow, that's - thank you, Louis."

Louis shrugs. "No problem, mate."

"No, but really, it was mostly Harry," Liam offers kindly, smiling. Ever the genuine lad.

"Well, what can I say? Harry is great at what he's doing," Louis agrees, flicking his gaze back to Harry. Harry is peeking from atop of Vanilla's head who is staring at Zayn curiously, grinning shyly at Louis. He just knows his cheeks are so red right now and his eyes glossy it's actually embarrassingly ridiculous. Harry hopes neither Zayn nor Liam are seeing this.

Meanwhile, as the introduction plays out before everyone, Vanilla suddenly whispers something to Harry that's caused Harry to burst out in giggles, stealing everybody's attention. Zayn and Liam look over, while Louis only watches them silently with a big smile on his face. "What is it, Harry?" Liam asks.

"Vanilla thinks Zayn is an angel who've fallen from the skies."

"Oh," Liam oohs teasingly, looking at Zayn and wiggling his brows. Louis laughs and Zayn only goes hot in the cheeks.

"Hi, there, little one," Zayn says with his quiet voice, reaching a hand towards Vanilla in Harry's arms. "You're an angel from above yourself, baby."

"I am?" Vanilla beams, cheeks pink.

"Yes," Zayn affirms sincerely. Liam goes all fond at that, biting his lip. Louis and Harry think that's...wow.

Immediately, Vanilla demands to be carried by Zayn; Zayn complies willingly, Liam standing close to him. Having carried the bubbly child, Zayn gets entertained by the quirky and giggly, smart and cheeky Vanilla Tomlinson, and so is Liam. The two has become completely occupied because of that, which leaves Harry and Louis to finally interact properly to themselves while the three mingles.

"Been a while, huh?" Harry says softly to Louis, coming forwards and leaving the cart.

Louis chuckles, sides of his eyes crinkling. Harry thinks  _there goes those lovelies again; never gets old_. "Actually, it's only been two days, Harold."

"So, you're counting then, I presume?" Harry teases. "Why is that?"

"Ha-ha, very funny, that," Louis sarcastically says with a roll of his blueblueblue eyes. Harry tries hard not to swoon.

After a bit more mingling, the other three eventually regards Harry and Louis again, Zayn saying they should get going now. Harry thought that is odd, but really, what isn't with his mates?

"Leaving so soon, lads?" Harry asks them nonchalantly, eyebrow rising.

"Yeah, H - uh, I forgot that Zayn and I have somewhere we need to be at, so," Liam says, looking at Zayn at that. Harry looks through his mate and thinks about whether he's lying or not. Knowing Liam, Harry knows he's not - he won't. But then again, he can't be so sure, albeit Zayn's sharing this knowing look with Vanilla. Those goofs.

"Really now," Harry says, sounding skeptical.

"Really now," Zayn firmly puts in, letting Vanilla down to her feet, the bubbly curly kid going to where Harry is again and holding his hand. "So, we'll see you guys again soon, yeah?"

Louis nods at them. "Sure, Zayn. Liam. It was nice to meet you both, again."

"And it was truly awesome meeting  _you_ , Louis," Liam says back, smiling broadly, "it's really no wonder why Harry here is always missing, making excuses just so he could-"

"Okay, that's the end of it, Liam! Let's call it a night for y'all!" Harry says loudly, stopping him before he can even say something that will make Harry want to really, really kill himself now and just die in a hole, never let Louis see him again. Zayn sniggers as does Liam, know Harry too well to go all dodgy like this, are both being pushed away now by Harry. They let him. "Zayn, please, lead your boy out now. Thank you for coming, thank you for bringing me here, bye."

Still laughing, Zayn and Liam look at Louis and Harry one last time and wink at them both, before finally walking away, holding hands as they go. Harry sighs in relief once the two has gone, but then - oh, shit. He remembers, he didn't bring his Range Rover, because Zayn and Liam only let him ride with them. Great. Now he has to commute going home.

Running a hand through his hair, Harry faces Louis. "Hey, listen, I'm sorry about that. Those two - er, my friends are really just crazies, they're usually not like this. I don't know what's crawled their trousers, really. God, that was embarrassing. They just-"

"Harold, hey, calm down, love," Louis says, holding him by the shoulder and squeezing on his flesh right there. Harry chokes on air at the fleeting contact and blinks. "It's okay, yeah? Your friends are awesome." Harry nods dumbly as though in a daze (which yeah, probably), licking his lips. "And attractive, I must say," Louis adds with a laugh.

Harry can't help laugh along. "Meh. That's true."

Louis and Harry start walking around Tesco after some time, with Thursday in Harry's arms and Vanilla helping with the shopping, taking things her daddy asks her to, with Louis pushing the cart as he looks over Ivy in it. And, okay, goddamn it, if the people at Tesco yet don't mistake them as a proper family right now as they see and bypass them, then Harry must say they're either blind or - no offense - dumb, because  _they definitely do_. He hopes Louis' also realizing that and thinks it's a good thing.

The shopping goes as it does per usual; Louis taking some powdered milk drink for Thursday, sweets for Ivy and Vanilla, new kiddie toothpaste for the two, box of Coco pops cereals, eggs, a couple of veggies and frozen meats, that and the like. Harry does the same, only with a few things though, just to appear as though he really has something he had to go here for. He can't let Louis find out he's only being his teenaged lovesick self hence he's come here, else Louis will  _know_  for sure just how gone for him Harry decisively is. And well, that's a no way José kinda thing for Harry, sorry not sorry.

So.

Three cereal boxes, a bunch of apples, a dozen quailed eggs, and various items later having been bagged in Tesco bags, Louis and Harry strut their way towards Tesco's exit with the three exhausted kids under their care. Harry is still carrying Thursday in his arms, a couple of Tesco bags in his free grasp, Louis walking next to him with the cart full of bags as well as Ivy and Vanilla - she's asked to be put in there too during the bagging, says her feet hurt. Harry had kissed her forehead and lift her up to her cute pink shoes clad toes, settled her right in.

Outside Tesco, Louis looks at Harry probably thinking Harry will finally let him go. He's wrong, because Harry carries on walking, has come to memorize which car is which. Louis unlocks the car as soon as they reach and Harry helps put Thursday in her customized seat in the car, buckling her seat belt securely; Harry then without a word helps with the bags, just smiling at Louis at the right moments whenever he'd catch him staring. Louis only smiles back, watches him as they do these deeds, not complaining at all.

Just then, when Harry's finally set a now sleeping Vanilla in the backseat, turning around to say goodbye somehow, sadly, he shuts his mouth quickly when Louis says out of nowhere, "Have a tea at my place, Harold?"

_Yes, yes, yes, yes, bloody hell, yes, yes, yes. Finally, yes. Whoohoo! Okay, stay calm, Harry Styles. Keep it cool._

Harry clears his throat. "Sure, Lou."

Louis grins. "Alright."

Before they completely leave Tesco's parking lot, Louis doesn't forget to ask Harry if he has his 'sweet ride' with him; Harry tells him he only hitchhiked with Zayn and Liam earlier. Reaching Louis' flat, Harry realizes that their home, as it's turned out, is just near with his own and Tesco itself. What a small world indeed. How come he hasn't seen Louis before? Harry does need to go out his shack sometimes and mingle around town, because  _this_  - he's apparently missing on the good things in life.

"I didn't expect us to be living just blocks away from each other," Harry comments then, carrying Ivy and Vanilla with him once he and Louis got out of the car, leaving Louis to deal with Thursday and the groceries - including Harry's.

"That so?" Louis quips, glancing at Harry.

"Yeah." Harry flashes him a smile, the both of them walking the steps to Louis' door.

"Well, you know how me and the girls have only recently moved, so," Louis tells him, unlocking the door, and then switching on the lights at the living room - that reveals such cozy and relaxing aura into it - stepping in.

"Right." Harry goes inside the flat with two girls in his arms, too, to which Louis rushes in for, dropping the Tesco bags, leading Harry to where the girls' room is at.

Along some hallway, Louis opens a door that is colored lime and motions for Harry to follow him inside. There are lots and lots of stuffed toys scattered on the ground, some pillows lying on the fluffy carpeted floor, random Dora the Explorer stickers stuck on just a certain wall. Harry believes that's where Vanilla usually sticks around and plays. He smiles at the thought, visualizing it - imagining just how Louis and his kids must be when it were just them here on a weekend, family bonding and whatnot.

Having done settling the sleeping, exhausted little girls, Louis tells Harry to follow him out in the kitchen. Chancing a look at Vanilla, Ivy and Thursday, Harry nods and then walks out the room with Louis; and it is only now that Harry's finally regarding everything inside the Tomlinson's.

One thing is that they don't have a stairs - Louis' flat only has one floor - but it's fairly spacious, just right enough for his kids to run about and play and such. The walls are color lilac and the ceilings are high and painted of clouds, making it seem like the daylight sky. It's absolutely lovely, far from Harry's own flat, which has plain ole white ceilings and two hanging chandeliers.

As Harry and Louis get to the kitchen, Harry notices how the dining table is mostly surrounded by highchairs. He bites his lip around a grin, to which Louis catches and quizzes, "What? What's so funny?"

Harry shakes his head, cheeks dented with his dimples, conceivably. "Nothing, it's just - this. Your kitchen, it's adorable. Also, your flat itself is. I really love your place is all."

Louis smiles meekly and looks away, going for the cupboards, rummaging each drawer for some teas, perhaps. "Thanks," he says kindly, "Took a bit of time and research before I've completed the entirety of this apartment. Had to go through douches of construction workers until I meet the non-complainants. I thought it was pretty hard, considering I was on my own and all. Then again, I only wanted nothing but the best for my kids, so in the end...this. It worked anyway, don't you think?"

Heart all warm and swelling up for Louis, Harry is in awe as he says, "Lou... what do you mean, do I think so?" Harry walks and sits on one of the regular chairs, gaze locked on Louis' back. "I  _know_  so, Lou. You're - you're really good at everything, really. Quite frankly, you're amazing. You amaze me. I wouldn't have done all these if I were you, you know. I don't think I can manage. I mean, you have three kids! That's three. That's just - you're a hero, Lou."

Chuckling, Louis whips around with two mugs of steaming teas in hand. He offers one to Harry, in which Harry gratefully takes and, before Harry could even sip from it, Louis surges down, taking him by full and utter surprise - he presses a chaste kiss to Harry's cheek. "Thank you for tonight," he whispers against Harry's skin, stubble ghosting along Harry's flesh. "Why are you so good to me, Harold? You're a gift."

"Lou...hey." Harry's heart is on his mouth and he honestly can't breathe, is afraid that if he did any type of movement, he'll ruin this moment. Because the thing is, Louis' lips are still lingering against his skin, inching closer...closer...and closer to his lips, their gazes meeting halfway. Now it's green against blue. "I... Louis..."

"Do it," Louis murmurs, nose touching Harry's.

"Are you...sure?" Harry mumbles, feeling explicitly nervous and anxious and at the same time excited, heart thumping wildly against his chest. He can smell Louis' musky scent all over him, one that's mixed with Thursday's juvenile scent and Vanilla's strawberry scented shampoo, as well as Ivy's baby lotion, those having been coating Louis entirely, because of obvious reasons. Harry likes it.

"What do you think?" Louis then asks, voice husky, and fuck. Harry wants him. So, so bad.

Without any more ado, Harry crashes their lips together as he grabs on Louis' face, pulling and kneading and thumbing, and boy does Louis just as hungrily returns it back to him, is wrapping both his arms around Harry, just right after they've set down their mugs of tea, has seemingly waited for this moment far too long now. Harry licks inside Louis' mouth then, just thinking about that -  _Louis waiting for him to do this_  - opening his own for Louis himself, tasting him and savoring him.

 _Sweet and sour_. Louis tastes so good. Harry fixes and hoists Louis up, settling him sitting across his lap, and devours him.

Louis starts rutting against Harry's, their crotches rubbing and creating frictions,  _which_ _oh God that is good_. Louis lets out a fucking sweet moan - a music to Harry's ear. It pains his chest so.

Pulling away shortly, are both struggling for breath, Louis and Harry stare at each other briefly, before Harry tells him, "I've been ogling your arse for quite some time now, Lou, and I - I really like you."

"Then why didn't you just say so?" Louis asks, is a bit breathless.

"Because I thought you wouldn't... I mean, I just thought that you're not into guys like me," Harry admits softly, feeling his cheek heat up.

Louis bites on his lip, looks at Harry's parted lips, and then kisses them, licking and sucking on Harry's lower lip. He lets go. "Well, now you must know, love, I've been gay for as long as I remember; been closeted since, though. Even had kids and got married. That's how I've been heavily closeted."

Harry cups Louis' face, and he thinks, he has a lot to learn about Louis. "Oh, Lou," he hisses in sympathy, gaze soft and tender. He wonders what must've happened to Louis before all these.

Louis shrugs, smiling. "No regrets, Harold, don't worry too much. I love my girls. I'm lucky to have them."

Hesitantly, Harry slowly smiles too, couldn't agree more.

In a blink of an eye, they're once again back on making out, with Harry running his hands through Louis' soft brown hair, thinking about how he's finally kissing his damn crush, thinking about all the pining he's done over the past weeks over him and his perfect bum - which by the way, is settled on his lap  _now_. Only if he knew Louis likes him back, then he would've done this the moment they said "Oops" and "Hi" the last they've bonded. Jeez.

Just as Louis' started grinding against Harry again, Harry groaning at the exhilarating friction of their bulging crotch, meanwhile, "Daddy..."

Louis and Harry jump apart in an instant. "Ivy." Harry's mouth forms an  _O_ , chin spit-slick and so are his lips, all red and swollen and wet, and - Jesus Christ. He needs more of Louis.  _Why must Ivy cut this off short_?

"Dada," Ivy mumbles sleepily. Harry's heart swells with how fragile and innocent she's sounding.

"I-Ivy, honey!" Louis gushes, stammering, rushing towards his daughter, "Baby, oh baby," he coos, scooping Ivy up in his arms. "Tell me, what does my baby want?"

Ivy is yawning and rubbing at her eyes, mumbling, "milk."

"Okay, coming up, my darling," says Louis dearly.

Ivy nods her head and doesn't say another word. She's so behave and so lovely and - damn, Harry can only fond over this, really, watching in awe as Louis, the man he likes, makes his daughter -  _daughter for heaven's sake_  - a bottle of warm, sterilized milk.

That's just...

Harry's so gone for him.

And maybe, just maybe, Louis is too, for him. Hopefully, Harry thinks, although he maybe somewhat granted - if Louis chancing a glimpse of him from the corner of his eye is any sign at all that the lad definitely is too, gone for Harry, that is. Well, there is that, innit?

Harry can only ever assume and dream and wish.

Wish Louis is his.

**✿** **✿**


	5. Part 5: Bonding With The Tomlinsons

**Part 5: Ticklish Daddy, Harru, And** **Little** **Kids ||** **Uncle** **'Arry's** **Pancakes** **Taste Good Or Nah?**

    **✿** **✿**

 **T** he days have gone quite smoothly and indisputably fast, having the next thing that one knows July has eventually said its goodbye, the weather changing all at once; it's now in the month of August and as pre-Autumnal, busy-ish as that sounds, it's still stood and danced in a blur of sweet morning texts sent back and forth between Harry and Louis no days as exemptions, with Harry going over Louis' flat shifts after shifts at work for evening teas, snogging throughout romantic comedy films (Harry's choices, sometimes Louis' just when Harry solely insists), and playtime and leisure bonding with the girls - one that's filled with none but messiness and childish laughter, Sponge Bob marathons and paper doll cutouts.

Over the days, Harry learns that handling the kids while being simultaneously occupied with a lot of other things, apparently, for Louis is just pretty much a normally daily basis thing and that it is something that one could get used to, flat easily. Because what do you know, Harry's gone used to it now too.

Today is a pleasant Saturday, and as such, Harry's asked for a leave of absence from Simon, saying he's almost done with the latest photo shoot he'd done with Cara, Eleanor and Barbara anyway - that one shoot for 'Hello and Welcome Fall' for Burberry's very recent issue - and that he at least deserves  _this_. So now Harry's at Louis' flat and is hiding behind the dresser in the guest room with Louis himself, snickering like the dorks they are to each other.

They're face to face and grinning like madmen, clutching their so-called weapons aka ruler for Harry and duster for Louis, waiting for Vanilla and Ivy to charge at them.

Multiple sounds of padding across the floor (with what they know can only be belonging to two certain cheeky little girls that are their 'enemies' at the moment) erupts by the hallway after quite some time, and that seems to be Harry's cue to say to Louis in his rather secretive voice, "On three, babe," calling him by the pet name he'd been dying to address Louis for frankly forever now. And right, they're basically boyfriends now by the way, if Louis leaning in just to kiss Harry softly on the mouth is any indication to that. Well, Harry's only fangirled over it for an entire week prior.

"Okay, babe, on three," Louis intones as he redeems himself from kissing his curly headed boy, grinning mischievously, adding in, "one..."

Then Harry pipes in, "Two..."

Lastly, " _Three_!" They both shout, bolting right up together, just as Vanilla and Ivy appear in front of them.

"Gotcha!  _Gotcha_!" Vanilla keeps squealing, waving her Barbie ruler at Harry and her daddy, waggling her weapon right at their faces, only that she's too small and she can't reach them.

"Come here you, you cheeky devil!" Harry beams at her, moving quickly to dodge every sway of the 'sword' Vanilla points at him, ducking down to aim for her waists and tickle her. Vanilla laughs loudly as does Ivy, who now is being carried Bridal Style by her father and being swayed in the air.

"Daddy got me, Nilla! ' _Elp_!" Ivy squeals, laughing uncontrollably in Louis' arms, her 'sword' long been dropped now.

"Afte' I slay 'Arry, Ivy!" Vanilla responds loudly between giggles, wriggling away from Harry's multiple pokes at her sides.

"You're not gonna win against us! We're invincible!" Louis declares in his booming voice, laughing ridiculously; he blows raspberries on Ivy's tummy as he cradles her around, running outside of the guest room and bringing her. "Follow me, Hazza! Let's finish these monkeys once and for all and tie them up in our base!" And by base, Louis means the sofa in the living room.

Harry continues to tickle Vanilla until she has no choice anymore but to surrender her Barbie ruler weapon to the ground, bending her hips now and doubling over in laughter, throwing her head back. Her curls bounce as she keeps on wriggling away from Harry, still. "You like that, you cheeky bunny, huh? You  _like_  that?" Harry questions despite he's laughing madly himself.

"'A-Arry! S-stop!" She's shrieking now, can't quit giggling, hands clasping Harry's fast moving hands. " _Stop_!"

"Never! I'm unstoppable!" Harry chirps, scooping Vanilla up in her feet, and then carrying her out of the guest room and onto the living room where Louis and Ivy are. "We've arrived!"

Louis is still blowing raspberries on Ivy's tummy, the poor little girl giggling madly on the sofa, Louis' face smudged against her stomach. " _Nilla_!" Ivy squeals.

Grinning, Harry joins in and sets Vanilla next to Ivy by the sofa, blowing raspberries on her stomach too, making her fight him over it. She can't get Harry off of her, though, of course. And now they're all a big pile of disheveled curls and reddened aching cheeks from laughing, balls of chuckles and shrieks, cute cheeky girls and two buff men, massive, massive mess.

"Daddy! Make -  _make 'Arry stop_! Make him stop!" Vanilla cries out, eyes tearing up now from so much laughing.

Louis hears she's coming off breathless, so he lets go of Ivy to tackle Harry this time, deciding on tickling him instead. "Oomph!" Harry lets out with a choke, having been waded by Louis to the ground; Louis straddles his hips as the smaller one gets on top of him, poking at his sides.

Harry yelps and wiggles, laughing out loud. "Louis! Louis!  _Lou_!" He squeaks, more giggles escaping his throat.

"You don't tickle my baby girls, Ha- _rru_!" Louis exclaims between chuckles, saying Harru instead of Harry just because, moving his hands to hit Harry's more ticklish spots.

" _Lou_!" Harry cries now, holding Louis by the arms. Vanilla and Ivy watch with gleeful eyes at where they stand, cheering their daddy on, grinning madly at the sight of Harry and Louis 'wrestling'.

Finally having enough of it, Harry quits pretending and stops Louis on having his way; he moves his hands quickly and grabs Louis at each his sides, to which Louis squeals loudly at. Just by one swift movement, Harry flips them both over, clasping Louis' both hands and putting weigh on them, bringing them both atop Louis' head as he barricades him. Harry gets to be on top this time.

"Ugh," Louis groans, blithely squinting up at Harry beneath him.

Grinning wickedly, Harry leans down. "Since you've been asking for it, my boo," he whispers huskily in Louis' ear, chest heaving up and down.

"Let go," Louis moans, laughing. He tries hard to escape from Harry, wriggling clumsily and shakily, but Harry's bigger and stronger unfortunately for him, so in the end he lies pliant underneath Harry and just downright gives up. "Okay, you got me, Harold. You win," Louis tells him, cerulean eyes bright and glossy and  _fucking beautiful_. Harry wants to kiss him.

Maybe Harry should kiss him.

Forgetting Vanilla and Ivy are factually still watching them like this, all tangled and breathing heavily and are having an intense eye-to-eye contact, Harry surges down and captures Louis' mouth, kissing him deeply, not having stopped himself. Louis kisses him back, opening his mouth and sticking out his tongue, earning themselves a loud, " _Eww_!" from Vanilla. Ivy mimics her, blinking in confusion at her father and Harry's kissing image, saying in a hushed tone, "Eww."

 _Well_ , that serves them another round of giggles. Harry redeems his lips and face from Louis' and faces the two girls. Louis laughs harder at that.

"Thank you, you two, for ruining the moment," Harry tells them jokingly, rolling his eyes playfully. "Truly appreciate it." Vanilla sticks her tongue out at him.

Coming from the girls' room a minute later, specifically in Thursday's crib, Thursday's gaggles of sobs erupt all the while with hiccups in between, indicating her pacifier has loosen, to which has Louis slipping off of Harry's knees and thighs in a haste. "My girl," Louis rushes out, running along the hallway. Harry watches him go as he's left seated on the floor, cheeks aching and pinkish, lips parted and plump and red. And if only Harry's an anime, he thinks, he's sure he'd probably possess heart eyes by now, because he's so lost for Louis goddamn Tomlinson.

"Who won then, 'Arru?" Vanilla asks, bringing Harry back to what's now, smiling big. Her curls have gone wildly and immensely disarranged at this point, her cheeks rosy red, and her clothes all bunched up and loose. Looks like she's had the best time of her life. Harry thinks she's adorable; her and Ivy, in fact, because the other little one isn't far from her big sister's current state too.

Picking himself up and off the ground, Harry puts a hand on his hip and grins like a Cheshire Cat at the two - Ivy and Vanilla instantly suppress giggles because of that, covering their mouths to muffle their laughter, sneaking up at Harry, and well, Harry knows that even when years have already gone by, he'll never get tired of hearing that.

"You two, of course," he tells them, grinning. "So might as well reward you." The girls' eyes instantly light up at the word reward. "How about some pancakes for an afternoon snack, hmm?"

" _Yay_!" Ivy and Vanilla cheer, jumping up and down.

"Come on  _vámonos, amigos_!" Harry enthuses in his best (awful) Spanish accent, pumping his fist up in the air and letting the two follow him, with them singing to the chorus of the Dora the Explorer's travelling song.

As they get to the kitchen, Harry wears the apron from the top of the fridge and looks at his tiny chefs, hands on his hips. "You guys wanna help out on the cooking?"

"Yes, yes, yes,  _yes_ , 'Arry!" Vanilla agrees excitedly, hopping giddily from where she is. Ivy on the other hand just watches curiously the scene in front of her, biting on her fist, side-eying Harry.

"Okay then, little ones. How about, uhm, you both go sit on your chairs, and then I'll set the things we'll need on the table, yeah?"

The two nods and obeys, going to their own respective chairs and trying to get up, which in the end Harry needing to hoist them both to get to each their highchairs. Vanilla bites on her lip as she waits for what's next.

Not wasting any more time, Harry brings out the things they're gonna be needing in order to make the pancakes; a bowl, a whisk, a spoon, the flour and a couple of eggs, and then the butter. He sets them on the table and teaches the girls on how to create the mixture, giving them each spoons. As the preparation goes on, Louis then strides in the kitchen with a newly awoken Thursday in his arms. He smiles at the sight of them. "Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

"Pancakes!" Vanilla chirps immediately, grinning at Louis. Harry looks up and their gazes meet. Harry winks at him.

"I see," Louis says, biting his lip. "Well, try not to tire Uncle Harry here, okay, Nilla?"

_Uncle Harry._

_Uncle Harry?_

_Oh, God. Uncle Harry._

_Louis labelled him as his daughters' uncle._

_Dead. Harry's dead._

"Yes, daddy," the little ball of sunshine politely replies.

"Mhm, very good girl," Louis says, going towards the table. Harry busies himself quickly, feeling his heart grow a hundred times bigger, because  _Uncle Harry_. He isn't even a proper uncle yet, what with neither of his friends have yet made children nor Gemma, his older sister. This is the first time Harry's ever become an uncle. An uncle for Pete's sakes. He swears the Tomlinsons will be cause of a once non-existent seizure.

From the corner of his left eye, as he cracks the eggs and drops them content on the bowl, Harry sees Louis walking near his side. He stops next to Harry then, peering over at what he's doing, just as Harry's about to whisk. And, oh well, Harry can't help it anymore; he looks up and takes Louis by surprise, capturing his mouth with his. "Care to beat these eggs?"

Louis chuckles. "How do you whisk?"

Mouth agape, Harry's lips twist into a full-blown awed grin (if that's even a thing). "Oh,  _babe_. It's easy, here let me." Harry starts whisking the pancake mix he and the girls made then, and Louis and the girls only watch him so. And the thing is, Louis keeps on fonding over this - it's pretty damn obvious with the way he smiles at Harry and Harry's wrist, Harry's ridiculously wild curls and Harry's inked-skin, gaze soft and lips parting. And if Louis just letting Thursday salivate in his forearm all because Harry's making him swoon right now, then - Harry supposes there's that.

He just hopes Louis knows he does the same thing with Harry.

Having began frying pancakes in a minute, throughout the cooking itself, Harry's felt beads of sweat trickling down his forehead, so he's stripped. And he thought he's heard Louis choked on air. Harry can't help smirk.

"Okay, time for the pancakes, darlings!"

"Yay, uncle 'Arry!"

Everybody settles right in their chairs while Harry serves each and every one plate of two pancakes each. Louis gives Harry a hand, squirting pancake syrup on Vanilla and Ivy's plates, slicing cubes of butter as toppings. The girls start eating, thanking Harry and complimenting his cooking.

And Louis does the same, with his soft fringe pushed back by some black headband Harry gifted him the other day, peering over to look at Harry sitting right across from him, mouthing  _delicious_  and  _you're amazing_.

Harry only bites his lip, nodding his head slyly as if to say  _anything for you, my Louis_ , dimples denting his pink flushed cheeks.

Under the table, meanwhile, their feet are entangled as they sneakily play footsie. Harry couldn't be happier.

    **✿** **✿**

**Author's Note:**

> fun fact: i've written va _niall_ instead of va _nilla_ every time ive needed her name written down during my typing of this hahaha ugh
> 
> uhm anyways, just gonna try this one out, see if readers would like this... if so, then ill continue writing this eheh  
> kudos and comments?? :~) x


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